Flood Readiness: Simple Steps for Your Home

Flooding can happen quickly—especially during intense storms or high tides. While long-term flood protection projects are essential, simple household readiness steps can reduce damage, stress, and recovery time when flooding occurs.

Why Flood Readiness Matters

Even shallow flooding in your home and garage can:

  • Lead to costly repairs and long recovery times
  • Damage floors, walls, appliances, and electrical systems
  • Create health risks from mold and contaminated water

Taking steps to prepare ahead of time can:

  • Reduce property damage
  • Improve safety during storms
  • Support faster cleanup and recovery
  • Complement long-term flood resilience projects in your community

 

A cartoonish house diagram showing a garage, driveway, front yard, back yard, crawl space, and noting moisture inside.
Water can enter or collect around homes in many places—from yards and driveways to garages, crawl spaces, and indoor areas. Start by noticing where water shows up around your home.

 

Preparedness and Storm Safety Checklists

The resources below offer practical, easy-to-use guidance to help households build preparedness over time and stay safe before, during, and after storms.

Preparedness Calendar

A week-by-week emergency preparedness guide that helps households build essential supplies and plans over time, supporting readiness for flooding and other emergencies. (Available in multiple languages.)

Belle Air Neighborhood Storm Season Safety Flyer

A step-by-step safety guide to help San Bruno’s Belle Air households prepare for storms, stay safe during flooding, and recover afterward, with local contacts, alert systems, and evacuation guidance. (English, Spanish)

 

It's a 12-week preparedness calendar for assembling a 3-7 day emergency supply kit with weekly action steps and item checklists.

 

Flood Protection Supplies and How to Choose Them

Flood protection supplies can help keep water out of homes, manage water that enters, and protect people and belongings.

There are many ways to reduce flood risk at home, from simple steps like elevating appliances and important documents to tools such as flood barriers, pumps, and drainage improvements. The right supplies and the right setup depend on how flooding happens, the layout of your home, and your household’s needs.

Choosing the Right Flood-Ready Supplies

“Not sure where to start? OneShoreline and our partners have created an easy-to-use Flood Supplies Decision Guide (English / Spanish) to help households choose flood protection options that fit their situation.

This guide helps you identify your flood concern, such as where water comes from or what areas of your home get wet, and walks through common flood protection options. It explains what different tools do, how much setup is involved, and which approaches may work best for your home.

 

The image features various tools and equipment related to home maintenance, drainage, and water management.
Examples of common household flood protection tools, ranging from drainage and barriers to pumps, dehumidifiers, elevated storage, cleanup supplies, and flood alerts.

 

Stay Alert and Ready

Emergency alerts and mapping tools help you track changing conditions and respond quickly during storms.

➡️Sign up for San Mateo County emergency alerts (SMC Alert) and add your address so you recieve alerts that apply to your neighborhood.

➡️Install the Genasys Protect app on your mobile device and get familiar with the map feature to track evacuation zones and orders.

⚠️In an emergency, always call 9-1-1.

 

Other Resources

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